Hansom-cab.



No. 837,346. Q PATENTED DEC. 4, 1906. 4

H. c. SEARS.

HANSOM GAB. APPLICATION FILED 0GT.19.1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

\A/IT E5555: I w: TCIFR: 1 QQLJ gy/rw 5 MWA PATENTED' DEC. 4, 1906.

H. G. SEARS.

HANSOM GAB, urmcm'ron iILED on 2 SHEETS-BHBET 2.

n M u ms norm]: PETERS ca.. wAsI-urmrom n. c

HENRY O. SEARS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

HANSON-CAB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 4, 1906.

Application filed October 19.1904. Serial No. 229,126.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY O. SEARS, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and use .ful Improvement in Hansom-Oabs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in explaining its nature.

My mvention relates to an nnprovement 1n hansom-cabs, or that form of cab opening in the front by an entrance through shortfolding doors or an apron, above which the space or opening is usually closed by a sash= framed between the two sides of the cab and adapted to be moved into and out of its closed position as occasionrequires.

In the usual construction of the cab the folding doors or apron hinged to the sides thereof have been inclined so abruptly backand the sash meetingwith the top edge of said apron has been set so far back between the sides of the cab that very little space has been left inside the vehicle, the apron acting to cramp the occupant, and with the sides closed making the interior. of the cab very close. Moreover, with a sash set back so far between the sides of the cab, they, together with the framework of the sash, have tended to shut off the sight of the occupant in the direction of the corners of the cab, which is a serious inconvenience, in that one in order to look in those directions has had to change his position in the cab or lean forward over the apron, which of course could not be done when the sash was closed.

My invention consists in building into the fore part of the cab-body, between the sides thereof, a front or auxiliary frame structure extending from the bottom to the top of the cab and in which is formed an opening or entrance into the cab, the side edges of the front framing the opening providing a common support for the doors or apron which closes the lower portion of the opening and for the sash above, or for this matter any other form of closure desired. The effect is that the doors or apron are changed to a more upright or vertical position and the sash brought forward into the front of the cab, so that without increasing the relative size of the cab-body its interior dimensions are materially increased. Besides this, the front, if

proper connectionbe made with the sides of .the cab, as 1s provided, 111111181168 a means or frame in which windows or lights of glass may be placed at the forward corners of the cabbody, so that the sight of one occupying the cab is no longer obscured in these directions.

Other advantages will be hereinafter referred to, but my invention can best be seen and understood by reference to the drawings, in Which I i Figure 1 shows the improved cab in perspective. Fig. 2 shows the cab-body in front elevation. Fig. 3 shows a vertical section lengthwise through the cab-body. Fig.

4 shows a cross-section through the top of the same.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the body of the cab, having the sides a a,the

back a top at, and'bottom or floor a. These parts may be of the ordinary and usual con struction.

.Into the fore part of the body of thecab is built a front B. .This front isin the nature of an auxiliary frame structure connecting with the sides and extending from the bottom or floor to the top of the cab-body. The front extends or contracts inwardly with respectto the sides of the cab, so as to form or frame on eitherside an opening or entrance into the cab considerably narrower than the mean Width of the cab-body. The lower portion of this entrance or opening is closed by an apron b and the upper portion by a movable sash I), both apron and sash having a common jamb or framework of support in the side posts or edges 5 of the front.

l/Vith respect to the apron and sash in further detail it is to be noted that the apron consists of double folding doors which are hinged to the front edges 6 and adapted to open outwardly, and the sash is a movable sash, being connected to the same edges 5 of the front by hinged arms b by which means pivoting 011 said arms said sash may be drawn up out of the way into the top of the cabbody or reversely moved down again to be framed in the front. For so maintaining the sash I prefer to employ an endless strap 11*, which is attached to the top and bottom of the sash and runs on rollers 6 b arranged in the top of the cab-body.

By thus building the front B into the fore part of the cab-body such a frame structure of support is provided that the apron or folding doors I) are raised into a more vertical or the front corners of the cab-body. For this purpose I prefer that the front make a rounding connection with the sides at the four corners of the cab-body, so providing a rounding frame in which curved lights or glass may be inserted.

Among other advantages of the front may be mentioned the fact that placed as it is in the forward part of the cab-body, between the top and bottom thereof, it provides a support for the top of the cab, on which account less support is necessary at the sides,

' so that they may be made lighter or with an increase of window-space. The fact might also be mentioned that by raising the doors or apron at the entrance of the cab'into a more vertical or upright position there is less liability of rain beating through the oints of the doors or apron than when more inclined, as formerly.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. In a cab of the character specified, a front built onto the fore part of the body of the cab, connecting with the sides thereof and projecting forward therefrom, said front extending in a vertical direction between the bottom and the top of the cab and extending inwardly with respect to the sides of the cab so as to form an entrance or opening therein considerably narrower than the mean width of the cab-body, doors hinged to said front for closing the lower portion of said opening,

and a movable sash above for closing the upper portion thereof.

2. In a cab of the character specified, a front built onto the fore part of the body of the cab, connecting with the sides thereof and projecting forward therefrom to frame on either side the entrance or opening into the cab-body, said front extending also in a vertical direction between the bottom and top of the cab for supporting the same, side posts or edges 11 forming a portion of said front and providing a common framework or j amb of support for the means closing the entrance or opening into the cab-body, which entrance or opening is considerably narrower than the mean width of the cab-body, said means comprising doors hinged to said side posts or edges 6 for closing the lower portion of said opening, and a movable sash for closing the upper portion thereof.

3. In a cab of the character specified, a front built onto the fore part of the body of the cab, connecting with the sides thereof and projecting forward and inward therefrom to frame on either side the entrance or opening into the cab-body, said front extending in a vertical direction between the bottom and top of the cab, for supporting the same, windows formed in the upper, inwardly-projecting portions of said front at the fore corners of the vehicle-body, which front also provides side posts or edges providing a common framework or jamb of support for the means closing the entrance or opening into the cab-body, said means comprising doors hinged to said side posts or j amb of support for closing the lower portion of said opening and a movable sash hinged likewise thereto for closing the upper portion thereof.

HENRY C. SEARS.

Witnesses:

JOHN E. R. HAYES, MARTIN V. FOLEY. 

